Northern Ireland

Broadcaster Lynette Fay announces she is leaving the BBC

The Radio Ulster presenter and Irish News columnist told listeners her last afternoon show will be next Thursday.

Lynette Fay
Lynette Fay
By Allan Preston

BBC Radio Ulster presenter Lynette Fay has announced she is leaving the corporation next week.

Before closing her Thursday afternoon show out with the Jessie Ware track ‘Free Yourself,’ she told listeners it was time to “press the reset button.”

“I’ve made one of the biggest and most difficult decisions of my life in recent weeks, and that is I am leaving BBC Radio Ulster,” she said.

“I walked through the doors of Broadcasting House here in Belfast 23 years ago and in all of that time I’ve had the privilege of listening and hearing from so many viewers.”

Grateful for the chance of “amplifying local life through the female lens,” she said the show had normalised talking about women’s health and platforming music by female artists.

Having spent half her life with BBC Radio Ulster, she added: “That mentioned, life has a way of reminding us just how fragile it is.

“I have given this decision so much thought and I know this is the right moment for me to step back from full-time broadcasting, for now. A daily show takes a lot of commitment and high energy and I have loads of ideas and dreams that I would like to follow.

“And I need to make time to give them all a go. I love radio, I love people....and I will continue to do that. It’s simply time for me to move on and embrace the new opportunities for me and my family.”